Never Knew He Cared
by Kiva Taliana
Summary: When Merlin is brutally attacked, the resulting events surprise everyone.  The story is set early in Series One, before The Poisoned Chalice, and definately after Valiant. This story is not slash.
1. Chapter 1

"Where is he?" Arthur snarled under his breath. It wasn't too much to ask that his servant could actually manage to do as he was told. He tried not to let his anger show, not in front of his knights, but his patience was starting to wear thin. Even so, he didn't need them knowing what he was thinking.

"Sire?" one of them said, talking in a low tone as he moved up next to the prince. Arthur glanced in his direction and then followed the other man's gaze. It settled on the deer calmly grazing. Arthur glanced as his companion and slowly reached for his crossbow. He was just carefully aiming, when the deer's head jerked up in shock and it bounded off into the forest. It happened at the same moment Arthur fired the crossbow. The bolt brushed the hindquarters of the deer before slamming into the tree beyond. Arthur stood up abruptly and looked around in irritation.

There was, he thought, only one thing crashing around the forest that could have spooked the animal. Arthur growled as he saw the flash of colour from Merlin's shirt. For a fleeting moment Arthur was tempted to let another bolt fly in Merlin's vague direction just to liven him up a little, but knowing Merlin, he was bound to accidentally step into its path.

As Merlin cleared the undergrowth, Arthur lowered the crossbow and just gaped in shock. Merlin's face was a mass of bruises and blood, his eyes half closed, badly swollen, and his lip was split. Merlin staggered to his right, cannoning off the tree where Arthur's arrow had landed; as he recoiled Arthur assumed that the rest of Merlin was just as battered.

"Merlin?" Arthur asked, too shocked to say anything else. Next to him the knight looked just as shocked at Merlin's appearance. Merlin wavered on his feet for a moment before gasping, in a raw and ragged voice.

"I think I got a bit lost."

Merlin ended that sentence by staggering again and then collapsing backwards. It was only another of the hunting party who had moved up alongside Merlin that stopped him from slamming to the ground, grabbing him to steady his collapse and gently lower him down.

The swift movement snapped Arthur out of his shock, running forward and discarding the crossbow he crouched down next to his servant and looked him up and down, trying to somehow start assessing the damage.

"Merlin, what happened?" the prince demanded. He didn't get any answer, Merlin mumbled something but it was too low for any of them to hear.

"Sire, we should get him to Gaius," someone announced, the words slowly penetrating into Arthur's mind. It jerked him to attention and he automatically snapped into action, and turned to the knight on his left who had clustered in with the rest of the group.

"Get the horses."

The ride back to the castle was painfully slow. Arthur didn't want to waste any time, he ordered one of the group to ride ahead and after mounting his own horse Arthur had some of the others help him lift Merlin up onto the saddle in front of him.

His gelding didn't need any help knowing where he was going as he was turned back towards home. Arthur just kept him to a docile walk and concentrated on keeping Merlin steady in front of him. Merlin's head dropped onto his shoulder and he remained utterly pliable, drifting in and out of consciousness as they rode back.

Arthur kept up a low stream of conversation as they travelled, although he wasn't sure who he was trying to reassure, Merlin or himself. Either way, it made him feel a little better as they made their way back. The rest of the group rode positioned around them, just in case whoever had attacked Merlin was still nearby, and one of them led Merlin's horse alongside their own.

As they came around one curve in the road Arthur realised the knight he had sent ahead must have ridden hell-for-leather on his way back, as there was a group of soldiers heading out to meet them carrying a stretcher. Gaius was with them, hurrying to keep up, concerned by what he had been told. As he saw the state Merlin was in Gaius faltered, shock hitting him like a wave, despite the very descriptive warnings he had been given.

Arthur, at least, didn't have to meet his gaze for too long as the stretcher bearers came forward and he helped them lower his precious burden down off his horse into their arms. Merlin gave a groan of pain as he was moved.

"Careful," Arthur said, quite unnecessarily, and feeling very reluctant to give Merlin up. As they laid him down on the stretcher Gaius rushed to Merlin's side.

"I don't think anything's broken," Arthur said. He wasn't entirely sure of that, he had felt too scared to examine Merlin, he had tensed with pain at even the lightest of touches. Gaius glanced up and then looked back down at Merlin.

"I'll look properly when we get back, take him to my chambers, quickly," Gaius said.

The soldiers lifted the stretcher, and they followed Gaius' orders, moving at a fast pace while keeping Merlin steady at the same time. The entourage silently made its way back to the castle.

Arthur followed as Merlin was taken off to Gaius' room. He even found himself helping to transfer Merlin to the cot bed, which made Merlin whimper in distress. Arthur gritted his teeth, trying not to react to every sound Merlin made.

"What happened?" Gaius asked, his voice sounding baffled, and hurt.

"I don't know," Arthur answered, hearing the strain of his own voice. He pondered the idea that Gaius thought he and the knights had done this, then he dismissed the thought as soon as it arrived. "We didn't see who attacked him, no one saw it happen."

The rest of them cleared the room, it was only Arthur who felt rooted to the spot as he looked Merlin up and down.

"Will he be all right?"

"I need to get him undressed and check the injuries first, and I'm going to need some hot water," Gaius said, moving off to gather what he needed. With nothing else to do Arthur stepped up to the cot bed and reaching down started to untie Merlin's neckerchief. Drawing it clear he winced. Merlin's neck was reddened, bruising in places and covered in friction burns in others. Whoever had attacked Merlin had, as far as Arthur could assess, used the material, pulling it tight around his neck to choke him. Arthur tried not to think about that and pulled Merlin's shirt up.

He noted the bruising on Merlin's torso, but tried not to pay too much attention as he lifted Merlin and tried to raise one of his arms to get the shirt over his head. Merlin gave a moan which rose in pitch as Arthur attempted to lift Merlin's left arm. Gaius came hurtling back, just as Arthur lay Merlin back down again.

"I was just trying to get his shirt off," Arthur stammered. Gaius nodded and putting the bowl and cloth he was carrying down probed the shoulder gently, pulling at the neck of Merlin's shirt to take a look.

"It looks dislocated, we may need to just cut his shirt off if the arm can't be raised," Gaius commented and then got the shock of his life as Arthur dealt with it, taking the material he ripped Merlin's shirt open from neckline to hem. Gaius blinked in mild shock, watching as Arthur slid an arm under Merlin's back to lift him and Gaius helped in pulling the material clear. Both of them looked at the shoulder. Merlin whined as Gaius probed the swollen, disjoined shoulder.

"I need to reset that," Gaius said. Arthur took the hint, taking hold of Merlin. He didn't bother trying to find an uninjured part of Merlin to grip, there wasn't one. Gaius took the arm, and Arthur tried not to wince as the physician popped the joint back together. Merlin screamed as it happened and he jerked in Arthur's grip, tensing for a moment before relaxing completely. Gaius looked at him in concern.

"He's unconscious, I need to get him cleaned up, then I need to make poultices for his injuries, and immobilise his arm. There isn't much I can do about the bruising; I think the worst thing might be shock."

Gaius was half talking to himself, reaching for what he needed. Again he was pre-empted as Arthur picked up the bowl and cloth and without taking his eyes off Merlin he dampened the cloth down and started to clean the dried blood off Merlin's face.

Gaius backed up, hurrying to get what he needed to treat Merlin's wounds, his mind running through exactly what he needed for the cuts, bruises, to perhaps bring down the swelling in his shoulder, and check him for anything else. As he did that, rooting through his stock he turned to look back at Arthur, who was carefully working, with an intensity that surprised Gaius.

He only really had Merlin's side of the story, but that was mainly antagonistic. Merlin didn't seem to really like Arthur, the way he spoke about him was proof enough, but he seemed oddly loyal to him.

Gaius had been around long enough to know Arthur; he was brash, arrogant, and a lot of the things that Merlin complained about. But he was a prince, and he was spoilt by his surroundings, and the adoration, and the simple fact that his father was the king. Gaius could, in fact, accept quite a bit of what Merlin said about Arthur.

Except now, Gaius watched something else. Arthur was unaware of being watched as he tenderly washed the blood off Merlin's face, and bathed the wounds. His work was calm and repetitive, rinsing the cloth, wringing it out and then wiping Merlin's skin. They'd have to watch for fever, Gaius thought to himself.

As he automatically gathered what he needed and watched the scene before him, he wondered what Arthur was really thinking. Did he care about Merlin particularly? Or was it simply that someone had attacked something belonging to the prince, and like any spoil brat, he didn't like other people touching his things.

That was, Gaius told himself, a thought for another day.


	2. Chapter 2

"I got them," Gwen said, coming back with blankets and pillows piled in her arms. Gaius smiled at her; Arthur just snatched the items away from her. Gwen frowned at him.

"We need to support his shoulder, Sire, and make sure he stays warm. Thank you Gwen," Gaius said.

The tone made Arthur turn and look at her blankly. Then he turned back to Merlin, and started to wrap him in a blanket. Gwen looked at Gaius who looked back. He reached out and squeezed Gwen's forearm.

"Thank you."

Gwen shrugged. "Thank Morgana, they're mostly hers."

"Well, thank her for me," Gaius said, before bustling forward to deal with Merlin, and his current nurse. "Prop his shoulder carefully. I need to make the tisane for him, it will ease the pain."

"He's unconscious," Arthur said.

"It will help keep down the fever as well," Gaius put his hand against Merlin skin. He felt hot, and he wasn't comfortable, Gaius could read the signs. It was dangerous enough to give him the medicine he needed to use, but even more dangerous not to.

"I need more water," Gaius said.

"I'll get it," Gwen said grabbing the bucket that Gaius always used and ran for the door. She paused and turned to look as Arthur arranged the blankets and pillows around Merlin. She watched for a moment before turning and running to get what Gaius needed.

"You should get some sleep Sire," Gaius said, the comment fell on deaf ears. "Sire!"

Arthur turned his head and looked up. "What?"

"You really ought to go and get some sleep, and something to eat."

"I had some bread."

"That's hardly enough."

"I'm not hungry," Arthur said. "I thought you were making something for Merlin."

"I am," Gaius said, doing that, clearly Arthur wasn't really noticing what other people were doing. "But there is nothing you can do for him now, he just needs rest and,"

"And what?" Arthur turned to look up at Gaius. He had hardly taken his eyes off Merlin, only rounding on someone when they gave a hint of a doubt as to what to do.

"Care," Gaius added. Merlin probably needed much more than that.

Gaius looked at his patient and felt his heart tense, there was not a part of Merlin that had been spared the assault. There was no way to comprehend what Merlin could have done to someone to suffer this. The only thing that made Gaius' heart quail was the thought that someone had seen Merlin perform some sorcery. There were times that he was not very good a hiding it, as young and naïve as he was he didn't always see the danger. He was so new to Camelot, he had no comprehension of what had occurred, truly occurred.

If sorcery was the case however, the assailants would have dragged Merlin before the king. Nothing like that had happened, it made no sense to Gaius. What had Merlin ever done to anyone? He asked himself as he finished off the tisane. The water was cool enough now, he sprinkled the last herb in and stirred it. Gaius brought the liquid over to Merlin, laid back on the pillows that were packed around him. Sitting on the stood by the head of the bed Gaius put the cup to Merlin's lips, pouring a small amount of the tisane into his mouth and tilting his head back. With the cloth he was holding he dabbed at the liquid that ran out of Merlin's mouth, and tilted his chin back, watching as Merlin's throat muscles worked automatically, to swallow the liquid that Gaius had got into his mouth.

Arthur sat forward watching intently as Gaius tried again.

"Help him sit up a little, just a little, that's it," Gaius said. It made for an easier angle and also gave Arthur something to do. Gaius poured a little more into Merlin's mouth, and his throat constricted again, and he coughed.

"He's choking!" Arthur snapped.

"No, he's not, his body will react to the stimulant to drink the liquid, but his reflex isn't perfect. He is fine, and this will do him good."

"Okay," Arthur said. Gaius fed Merlin a little more of the liquid. Merlin's forehead creased it a frown and he coughed.

"Gaius!"

"Don't you know how to knock?" Arthur snapped to the poor unfortunate servant who came through the door. Gaius put the cup down.

"Yes, Lilia, what is it?"

"Noel has taken another turn, we need you."

"But Merlin…!" Arthur snapped and then stopped. Gaius turned to look at him. He held out the cup which Arthur took.

"Just help him drink the rest of that, I won't be long."

Arthur looked down at the cup, then at Merlin. He shifted Merlin's head back a little and tried putting the cup to his lips, Liquid flowed down Merlin's chin, and he gave another cough, spitting out what was in his mouth. Arthur dabbed at the liquid on Merlin's chest.

"Merlin, now you're just being annoying, you need to drink this. Please. I didn't mean what I said this morning."

Arthur was about to try again and jumped as the door creaked. Gwen walked in and met Arthur's wide-eyed gaze.

"Gaius asked for water," Gwen said, putting the bucket down and then curtseying.

"He said Merlin needed to drink this, but he's being awkward, as usual."

Gwen frowned and walked over to the bed, sitting on the edge and she took the cup from Arthur. She couldn't get the cloth off him, Arthur just concentrated on wiping Merlin's chin and dabbing at the drips on his chest, and the stains that now marred the thick bandage. Merlin's arm was now tightly bound to his torso to protect his shoulder.

"I'll help," Gwen said. "Just put him back on the pillows a little, like that." She plumped a few to help, and they settled Merlin back. "Now, just tilted his head a little. Come on Merlin, come on."

He took a little more, Arthur wiped the excess away.

"He didn't do that for me, he doesn't like me!"

"This has nothing to do with you!" Gwen snapped. "Nothing at all, it's Merlin that is hurt and stop being such a…!"

"Such a what? Merlin?"

Both of them turned as Merlin gave a groan, Arthur shifted the pillows around him and Gwen reached to take his hand.

"Merlin, it's all right, you're in Camelot, you're safe," Gwen said, making Merlin relax a little. "We need you to drink this. Lift his head a little, just his head, and tilt it back a little."

Gwen put the cup to his lips again and very slowly poured tiny amounts of the tisane into Merlin's mouth. His body's reflexes reacted frantically. They had just finished helping Merlin drink it when the door opened again and Gaius returned. He eyed them both for a moment. Gwen put the cup down and got up, moving away from the bed. Arthur carried on fussing over Merlin.

Gwen paused by Gaius and both of them watched the scene in front of them.

"Will he be all right?" Gwen asked in a low tone.

Gaius nodded. "I think so, it may take a while though. At least he has a very attentive nurse," he commented as Arthur rearranged the sheets and pillows around the injured youth.

"I know, I," Gwen paused, a mild frown marring her face. "I didn't think they liked each other, from what Merlin says anyway."

Gaius raised his eyebrows and shrugged. "I'm not sure in this instance if like or dislike really come into it."


	3. Chapter 3

Arthur slipped his fingers under the girth strap, checking it carefully, usually another thing Merlin failed to do when he saddled the horse. Arthur's jaw tensed at the thought of his servant, who was still lying unconscious, four days on. Arthur had carried on his round of royal duties, and some patrols, but after he had finished and he had some free time, Arthur seemed to always be drawn to Gaius' chambers.

To check on Merlin, to help Gaius get the medicines into him, change his dressings, apply the poultices, and even give Merlin a wash. Arthur couldn't remember ever having done anything like it before; even when his knights were injured Arthur simply saw them to Gaius' chambers and then left the physician to do his work. There was just something about Merlin, lying there, looking so helpless and so damaged that held Arthur there.

Now, however, he was starting to feel a little restless. There was unfinished business to deal with. He cinched the saddle a little tighter, causing the horse to bend his neck round and nip at Arthur's sleeve in a 'get on with it' gesture. The horse shifted its feet as Arthur checked the girth again and gathered up the reins; putting his foot into the stirrup he hauled himself into the saddle.

Arthur turned the huge, sleek gelding and guided it out of the stable area and out of Camelot. As they reached open countryside Arthur let the horse have its head, tension draining from him as the wind whipped past him and he felt the horses muscles shifting powerfully underneath him. He guided the animal instinctively, aiming for the hunting ground they had been using on that day, slowing down as they reached the clearing where Merlin had appeared. Arthur scanned the area, and dismounted from his horse.

Taking the reins in his right hand he led the animal as he crossed the area. The horse snorted, and blew out heavily, Arthur blinked as droplets of saliva brushed against his neck and cheek, and the horse snorted again, shaking its head and trying to nibble Arthur's gloved hand.

"Stop it," he said, petting the horse's nose. The gelding snorted again but calmly followed Arthur as they reached the spot where Merlin had collapsed.

The crossbow bolt was still lodged in the tree, forgotten in all the chaos of dealing with Merlin. Arthur reached up and pulled it out, tucking it into his belt. He scanned the forest again, looking down at the mulch on the forest floor. Any tracks would be long gone; it was pointless to look for them. Instead he moved around a dense patch of undergrowth, thick with ripe blackberries and headed off in the general direction that Merlin had appeared from.

He hadn't gone far before he heard the sound of another horse. The gelding lifted his head, ears swivelling as it tracked the sound, and he gave a little whinny which received a reply from somewhere on Arthur's right. Arthur switched sides, so he could hold the horse's reins in his left hand, and put his right hand on the hilt of his sword.

Then he frowned, anger rising in him as Sir Leon trotted through the trees and pulled up a short distance away from him.

"Nice day for it," Sir Leon said calmly.

"For what?" Arthur asked. Leon raised his eyebrows, but he was entirely used to Arthur's belligerent nature, so the aggression didn't touch him. In fact, he had long ago found, it was best never to react to it; something that was very true with Uther as well.

"Just being outside, it's a nice day for a ride."

"I'm just hunting," Arthur snapped. Leon remained utterly oblivious to the anger and instead looked at Arthur, and his horse, with significant intensity. Neither was carrying the equipment which Arthur usually took, and that Merlin had recently carried on hunting trips. There was no crossbow, no twine to make snares, no skinning knives. Arthur was only carrying his sword, his hand still resting on the hilt, and despite the sword Arthur looked as harmless as he was ever going to get.

"Of course, a good day for that as well," Leon said, his hint was clear. He knew exactly what Arthur was doing. For that purpose, he had to be alone, Arthur wanted to be alone, these people were his to deal with, when he found them, if he found them. No, when he found them, Arthur was not leaving until he found them.

Leon waited calmly, keeping eye contact with Arthur. Rumours had abounded about Arthur's reaction to Merlin's assault. Leon, however, was not one to make judgements until he had really seen everything for himself. Arthur nodded and then turned, heading the way he had been going, in the direction that Merlin had come from.

He tracked it all the way to another hunting trail. Arthur looked around, nudging his horse's nose as it nibbled at his glove again, and then his eyes and mind followed the events, the procedures of that day. They would have to backtrack on the right hand trail. Their hunting party had covered that area first, picking up a few rabbits from the snares and Arthur had taken down two pheasants, one on the ground and the other that took flight. He had been applauded for that, for his skill.

Then he had dumped the carcasses on Merlin. He was the one supposed to carry them, and he had stomped along behind them, carrying everything Arthur demanded, while wearing a mulish, sulky expression. And he had lagged behind. Arthur had let him, Merlin was an embarrassment, he couldn't move with stealth, he had no idea of the etiquette involved and he was so rude, respecting none of the knights and their status.

Arthur had let him lag. It would do him good; for Merlin to struggle to catch up. Arthur had left him behind, and that was when they had caught him. He calculated it carefully, with a trained eye. They were probably not waiting for anyone specific, just keeping an eye out for the main chance. But still, the assault made no sense, Merlin was an idiot, but he wouldn't have fought if the odds were against him. Arthur was sure of that; he had put Merlin in the practice ring enough times to know.

Every time, he backed off, defending, never attacking and always falling over. He had never said it to anyone, but Arthur thought that Merlin had enough instinct to actually become a good swordsman. He was quick and had a good eye when it came to the fight. His only fault was he would never attack, even when it might work to his advantage. Merlin had not attacked.

"The trail rounded there," Leon said. "It had to be somewhere in there; the area is over four miles square though."

"Well, then, they need a target," Arthur said. He threw the reins of his gelding in Leon's direction and then ran down the nearby gully, jumped over a fallen log and was gone. Leon swore under his breath, looking at the two horses that stood there calmly. Arthur's stepped forward, its eyes on the disappearing figure, thinking it should follow his master. Still swearing, Leon tied up the horses, giving them enough length to be able to graze, and then he ran after Arthur.

Arthur paused, panting for breath and looking around the forest. It told him nothing. He needed a hint, just a flicker to tell him that these people were still around. There had been no reports from the villages, no one had been attacked, or raided, except in the far west. But that was too distant from this area.

He carried on strolling, walking around the forest, and picking up the traces of where he had left snares. Arthur even found one with a rabbit in it. He cut down the carcass and carried it with him, trying to find the way Merlin would have gone, the paths he could have followed to keep up with the rest of them. Then Arthur found it.

Tree roots flanked the entrance. A huge oak had been toppled, lightening for the most part and it looked like some of the soil had worn away. The tree had caved over, exposing the rock face underneath. Arthur looked at it and the gully it created. It looked like a path had been cut over years, running through that gully.

There was nothing scary about it, it looked innocuous and the path looked to take whoever took it out into the hunting area they would have been using, and the sounds might have echoed. Merlin would have taken it, to try and catch up.

So now, Arthur did the same. He jogged down the dip and clambered up over the roots to the level ground, as he did so he heard a laugh. He spun round but saw nothing behind him, so he turned and carried on forward. Gritting his teeth he walked despite the shifting sounds around him. Then as he reached the crest, three men blocked his path, and gravel rolled down from the top of the rock face, dislodged by the man stood above, holding a bow.

"What have we here then?" a voice asked. Arthur spun round to face the men behind him, and at the leader of the pack, placed in front of the others. Arthur raised his eyebrows.

"I was just thinking the same thing."


	4. Chapter 4

"I think we have a meal," someone behind Arthur announced. The prince spun round and held up the rabbit he was holding.

"You want it?" he asked. "Fetch!"

He hurled the carcass high into the air, making it sail over the rock face and would probably been seen by Leon. If not, the sound of Arthur's voice would attract him. Not that Arthur needed him. He looked at the men around him, and the one that now tensed with anger. As the man lurched forward Arthur yanked his sword out.

"Come on then," Arthur demanded.

"He's a bit more fiery than the last one. This one might give us a fight, we've got some real sport here."

Arthur looked from left to right and backed up, putting himself against the rock face. It meant the archer above was helpless, it also meant the two groups were free to close in on him. It would have helped, spread them out across the small clearing. But they didn't do that, they stayed as two groups, regarding him coldly, and very clinically.

What they didn't probably realise was that Arthur was doing the same thing. He was holding his sword up, backed to the wall, but he felt calm, utterly collected. Merlin was evidence of what these people were capable of, he would have backed off, knowing he was alone, or perhaps thinking that Arthur would be there, and would appear to aid him.

But he hadn't been. Merlin had been at these people's mercy, and they had shown none. They were bullies.

Arthur knew the same was said about him, and he probably was, but he had never laid a hand on anyone just for the fun of hurting them. He remembered when he had first met Merlin, and Merlin had come to the defence of that servant. Arthur might have been being a bit loud but he would never have hurt the youth holding the target. It was just fun. Merlin just managed to point out that it might not be fun for the servant.

That had never gone from Arthur's mind, once he had thought of it, and Merlin had been there ever since. Just being there, being useless, however much he worked at the job that was given to him, and being rude; most of the knights couldn't believe the way that Merlin talked to him sometimes. Half the problem was that Arthur couldn't work out a way to get to Merlin and to needle back at him. And he also found, he didn't mind it, all those insults.

Arthur snarled and stepped away from the rock face as the two groups closed in. The men regarded him warily, unsure of what to make of him. His eyes moved from side to side, regarding each group. He had the three preventing his escape one side, and four hemming him in on the other, including the leader. He didn't doubt that if he made a run for it, trying to climb over the small incline in front of him that the archer would shoot him.

Merlin clearly had known the same, and hadn't run. It was an easy enough leap to get up there, but the archer would still have a clear aim. Merlin at least knew that much. Arthur went back to his immediate problem as the two groups moved in on him. They didn't bother to cover the escape route, the one that was so visible. There was no need to.

"I don't think he looks like a screamer, not like that little runt!"

Arthur gritted his teeth and tried to calm the surge of anger through his body. There was no doubt they meant Merlin, who wasn't the strongest person in the world, at least not physically.

"It wasn't like he could scream, not while he was strung up."

They all laughed at the banter. Arthur knew it was a way to try and intimidate him. It did nothing of the sort, instead it helped him put together what had happened and it was why Merlin had friction burns around his neck, they had used his scarf to half-choke him, and keep him still, while gasping for breath. It left them time to beat him.

One of the group on the left dived in on Arthur. He spun and blocked the blow with his sword and he slammed the heel of his left hand into the bridge of the man's nose. He gasped and fell back, the rest of the group ran in, two of them anyway. The leader stayed back. The group of three blocking the other side surged forward and Arthur stepped to meet them. The injured man staggered back.

"You really are going to scream," the injured man warned, as best he could through a broken nose. The leader moved forward to pace around Arthur, finally taking the central position.

"He looks like a crier to me. Thinks he's tough but the first little bit of damage and they want mummy."

Arthur stayed still. He couldn't really comment on that, never having had a mother, and his father was not someone he went running to with tears in his eyes. His response to that was channelled down into the well of anger that was building, and working, his body felt warm, pumping with adrenaline as he watched them all.

"I don't think this one looks as tough. He's all show. The little runt had some grit, had to pull his arm out to get that one to scream."

The leader tried to play to his audience, but he couldn't wait to listen to the laughter, because the adrenaline fired in Arthur. It rushed his system, every muscle responding to instinct. He ran at the leader, sword raised, aiming for a killing blow.

At the shock of the sudden attack, the man recoiled and both groups rushed in. Arthur blocked a stab on his left and kicked away a blade on his right. Spinning on his heel, he slashed the man on the right, cutting through his neck and sending blood spurting. He followed that downswing and spun again, coming into the left and feinting back against the oncoming sword, and Arthur stuck his own weapon into the man's gut.

Arthur was too angry to care that he was outnumbered. It didn't matter. He was not one to think in a battle, it was all instinct; it was something he had tried to drill into Merlin. You couldn't drill it into someone. That was what Arthur was learning. Not someone like Merlin anyway.

These people had taken Merlin, seen him as sport, and Merlin would not have fought. He might have tried to talk his way out, or delay the fight, because he thought Arthur was coming. This scum had taken Merlin and in Arthur's mind, they had defiled him, they had attacked someone so idiotic and helpless, and who didn't have a shred of malice in his entire being.

That was what got to Arthur.

The rest of the bandits rushed him. There was no choice now, Arthur was attacking. He wasn't attacking them, they were just trying to defend. Arthur wanted them out of the way. He wanted the leader, the one that had wrenched Merlin's arm out of it's socket, the one that probably enjoyed punching him while the others held Merlin still, egging their comrade on.

Two others died without Arthur even pausing for breath. He took one out by slashing the femoral artery and left the man screaming as he fell. The other took a neat slice across the navel, his guts spilling out.

That was why Merlin defended and never really fought. He didn't like this, killing people. Arthur had never really thought about. All his life he had been trained because he was the one who would defend Camelot, and would one day become the king. And as those thoughts crossed his mind, mercy never occurred to him.

The last two men were backing away, leaving their leader to Arthur. He eyed the man dispassionately. The leader was looking at the men Arthur had killed. Arthur stepped forward and the man yelled, running forward and thrusting his sword out in a killing blow. Arthur flipped the sword aside and sliced across the man's neck. Then he looked at the remaining two. He turned to the left one, the right one turned to run and ran onto Sir Leon's sword.

Leon watched him dispassionately as the bandit gaped in shock, his jaw working as he looked down and realised what had happened, he fell back and collapsed down onto the floor. Leon looked up and eyed Arthur who had killed the last man.

The area was carnage, and the archer was dead as well. Leon had taken that man out and watched as Arthur had attacked the rest. Arthur blinked and looked around before focussing on the other knight and asking.

"I don't suppose you noticed where I threw that rabbit?"


	5. Chapter 5

Merlin coughed and then groaned as the coughing hurt. He tried to move and that hurt even more. It took some effort to open his eyes. One managed it just about, the other felt sticky and like his eyelashes were being pulled. He put up his hand and felt the eye, feeling the crusted sleep that was stuck to it.

"Here, stay still, let me."

He recognised Gaius' voice and then a cloth wiped at his eye, clearing the gunk away, and the other eye was bathed just as gently. Merlin winced and blinked, slowly clearing his vision and tensing as he looked up and saw the ceiling that he was so familiar with. He was not imagining this, he was at Camelot, and he was safe. Merlin looked up at Gaius who wiped at Merlin's face a little, sponging him with a cool cloth.

"You still have a bit of a fever," Gaius said, voice breaking and not daring to look at Merlin's face.

"Gaius, ow, what part of me doesn't hurt?"

There was no answer to that. Gaius carefully cleaned Merlin's face down while Merlin stared at the ceiling.

"How long have I been here? How did I get here?"

"Nine days now, and Arthur brought you back."

"Oh, nine days, great, so I'll have a big stinking pile of Arthur's boots, laundry, and armour, and heaven knows what his room looks like. Let's hope someone thought to bring him some food; he's completely impossible on an empty stomach!"

"Merlin, that is nothing for you to worry about, and please, don't move that arm," Gaius said. Merlin stopped moving and he looked at the sling.

"Oh, they…"

"I need to give you your medication, and please drink it without complaining."

"What have I got to complain about, apart from the mess I'll have to clear up? Has Arthur even noticed I've gone?"

Gaius came back holding a cup. He looked a Merlin for a long time, who took the cup for something to do.

"We need something to treat that eye with," Gaius said, and then as Merlin frowned Gaius nodded to the end of the bed.

Merlin watched Gaius, who turned away, sniffing and rummaging about for what seemed like no reason. He reached up to feel his eye again, it was so puffy, and sore to touch, and he couldn't blink. Merlin looked around for somewhere to put the drink, but there was nothing nearby. That was when he followed Gaius' unspoken advice and sitting up, looked to the end of the bed.

"Oh, I so hope you are asleep," Merlin said.

Arthur clearly was, because he didn't react. He was slumped on a stool, one foot propped on the bed frame, his elbow resting on his raised knee and his chin cupped in his hand. He was sleeping deeply, but the position could not be comfortable, his shoulders hunched to keep him steady. But his body seemed quite used to sitting like that. Merlin watched him carefully, but he couldn't stare for too long.

"Here, stay still," Gaius said and he pressed a warm, damp cloth against Merlin's swollen eye. Merlin caught the scent of herbs, but couldn't identify what it was.

"It's fine Gaius," Merlin argued. Gaius stepped back for a moment, rinsing the cloth.

"Drink your tea," Gaius said in a choked voice. So much so that Merlin took a mouthful of the tea just to please him. Then he pulled a face.

"Eurgh! What is that?"

"It had been helping control your fever, and reduces the risk of any infection, and it's worked. Now, stay still."

Merlin did, letting Gaius bathe his eye and clear away the remaining dried gunk that prevented it from opening.

"Oh, that's better, I get to see a little more blur," Merlin said, closing his good eye to test the sore one. Gaius huffed and took the now empty cup away from Merlin. The shifting blur told Merlin he was getting more of it.

"Drink that too."

"Is it different?"

"Yes, and I'll wake Arthur up if you don't drink it."

Merlin frowned, not quite comprehending that threat, but there was a distinct undertone to the old man's voice, which he didn't conceal very well. "How long has he been there?" Merlin asked.

"As much as he could, on and off, most of the last four days since Sir Leon advised Uther that Arthur should be relieved of duty."

"Why?" Merlin asked.

"Because they tracked down the people that did this to you. Sir Leon saw what Arthur did to them."

Merlin blinked, his lower lip trembled a little and Gaius put a gentle hand on Merlin's head, leaning down to kiss him on the forehead. Sir Leon had not spoken the word out loud, but he had put enough of a hint into it. Berserker. That was the only way that Arthur could truly be described, at that moment in time.

"What happened to them? Are they…?"

"Yes," Gaius said. "And they had a price on their head in Mercia, and a few other kingdoms. Their heads have been sent to the relevant kingdoms, there is a reward."

"Arthur will love that," Merlin said.

"Merlin," Gaius said. Merlin looked up, hearing the tone of voice. Gaius put a hand on his head. "Merlin."

"Sorry, Gaius, sorry."

"He was just as worried as the rest of us, if not more so. You had us all worried."

"I'm fine," Merlin said, feeling embarrassed. Gaius sat down on the bed, being careful around Merlin and checking that he did not disturb the sleeping Arthur. It was easier while Arthur was resting, Gaius couldn't work around the worried, fretful prince, however helpful he was on occasion.

"Merlin, they didn't see you do anything, the people that did this." Gaius gave the sentence carefully emphasis, just in case Arthur

He couldn't talk for a moment; Merlin just shook his head emphatically.

"No."

"Are you sure, Merlin?"

"I was there remember, they grabbed me round the neck and I couldn't say anything, then I couldn't concentrate, I do need a bit of time for it, Gaius. One big guy, grabbed my scarf and hooked me onto a tree root, then he just kept pulling, I couldn't… Gaius, I couldn't stop him…"

"Merlin," Gaius said gently, and reaching out he hugged the youth as best he could. It wasn't very practical, all things considered, but Merlin went so far as to rest his forehead down on Gaius' chest, exhaling heavily.

"I thought they just wanted to take the game, Arthur had caught enough. If I just gave them that, then I thought they would leave me. They just didn't stop," Merlin whimpered. "I couldn't stop them. I kept thinking that Arthur would… just come and, I guess he did, did he? I don't remember the end. Not after they," Merlin stopped talking and reached round to cradle his left arm protectively.

"You found your way to Arthur," Gaius said. "He didn't know they were there, he just thought you were lost on the hunting ground. He was very upset."

"He looks it," Merlin snapped, eyeing Arthur carefully. The prince continued to sleep, but Merlin started to notice the dark circles under his eyes and his shirt looked like it needed cleaning. Gaius rolled his eyes and huffed.

"I need to change the poultice on your shoulder, stay there."

"Where am I going to go?" Merlin asked, sipping at the tea and grimacing again.

"Just don't move and drink all of that, or I'll set Arthur on you," Gaius said. Merlin raised his eyebrows in intrigue, making Gaius add. "I'll make a nurse of him yet."

Merlin blinked, making his vision blur again. He had to wait a while for it to clear. Gaius started mixing herbs up, he knew he should probably wake the prince, but the times he was asleep were the easiest times Gaius had had over the last few days. He couldn't fault Arthur when Gaius needed him to do something, it was just the rest of it while Arthur just sat there, waiting for Merlin to wake up.

Gaius didn't think he could throw Arthur out of the room, unless he took the issue to Uther, or Leon, but that seemed a little over the top. Arthur didn't actually mean to get in the way, but every little thing Gaius did regarding Merlin's treatment had to be explained. He had also been extremely territorial when Merlin had any other visitors.

Gwen had stayed persistent in coming every day, despite the sniping. Morgana was much the same, but she also seemed to have an innate ability to completely ignore Arthur when necessary. Those two visitors hadn't really surprised him. The others had, all the knights that had been on the hunting trip, and a few others besides, had been in at least once just to check Merlin was okay, and fetch and carry anything Arthur demanded.

Gaius watched Merlin carefully. The incident had been horrific, and the attack so brutal. The outside wounds would heal but what was inside might be a little more difficult. Then Gaius gave a sigh of disapproval as Merlin, after drinking a little more of the tea, and watching Arthur, whispered a word. There was a flash in his eyes and then the stood Arthur was sat on, shifted a little. It was no more than a few millimetres, but enough to dislodge Arthur, so his foot slid off the bed, and he fell forward, jerking awake in shock, and nearly knocking himself out on the bed frame.

As he sat up he looked immediately at Merlin, as he always did when he woke up, and Arthur blinked as he realised Merlin was staring back at him, a ghost of a smirk on his face.

"Merlin?" Arthur gasped and then grinned brightly. Turning to Gaius he gave a scowl. "Why didn't you wake me?"

"He's only just roused, now drink that."

Gaius gave a second cup to Arthur, who drunk some, cringed and then drank some more. Merlin looked him up and down again, realising there was a trace of blood on the shirt, he looked tired, and he rolled his shoulders to try and ease the aching from sleeping in such an uncomfortable position.

"You look awful," Merlin observed. Arthur straightened up again, eyes widening in outrage, looking as if he couldn't believe Merlin would say that. After a brief pause the prince announced rudely.

"You can talk!"


	6. Chapter 6

Merlin moved slowly around Arthur's chambers, and he pulled the bed clothes straight. It was taking a while, since he was working one handed, but he had been up and about for a couple of days, and found, two weeks on from the attack, that it wasn't too bad. It was just the shoulder injury that everyone was concerned about. Merlin, however, did not want to stay in bed.

Certainly not after the eleventh day; when Arthur had calmly told Gaius that he would help Merlin wash. Merlin had flatly refused, which had made Arthur look at him blankly, while holding a bowl of water in one hand and a cloth in the other, and he had announced, quite innocently, "Well, I did it all right the other day."

That piece of information had given Merlin enough incentive to get out of bed, before he was mollycoddled to death. He never actually thought that he would ever enjoy the chores Arthur left for him, but he had been doing so over the last couple of days. He was limited in what he could do, mucking out the stables was impossible, as was sharpening swords and cleaning armour. He was basically limited to a little light tidying up and cleaning, but at least he was making the effort, and Arthur was back to his normal routine, although his reaction to the bandits had reached almost legendary proportions around the castle.

One person who clearly disapproved of that had been Uther, Merlin had learnt, having had the misfortune of seeing him in the corridor yesterday morning. Merlin had stepped aside to let the king pass, as he was supposed to do, keeping his head down. But as Uther came level with him he had stopped dead.

Merlin had risked a brief glance up, as the moment held, to see Uther staring at him intently, the gaze almost drilling through him. There was a hard question in the gaze, as if Uther was trying to work out what had prompted his son's erratic behaviour. All because of Merlin.

There had been a very long, tense silence as Uther's entourage waited for him, and Merlin inwardly wilted under the gaze. It wasn't exactly his fault Arthur had gone bonkers, and he hadn't wanted to be beaten half to death. Merlin wasn't even sure why Arthur had done what he did.

Well, that wasn't entirely true. People being randomly attacked in the woods near Camelot would naturally be a cause for concern, and something that Arthur and the knights would generally deal with. But it was quite clear that Arthur had taken this one very personally, and no one, it appeared, could work out why. Least of all Uther.

After a long moment of staring at Merlin the king had carried on his way, without a word. Morgana who had been following along behind the king had flashed Merlin a brief, reassuring smile and a sympathetic gaze. His face was still a mess, his arm was still bound up in the sling, and his torso felt sore. He was limping a little; his right hip had a huge black bruise. Merlin was quite certain he had received a good hard kick there, at the beginning of the assault, before the pain just blurred and he couldn't remember what happened when.

The worst part, the very worst part, was he couldn't defend himself. It had never really crossed his mind that there might be moments he could not use his magic. He took enough risks when he was with Arthur, during any skirmish they encountered. But when he had been roughly choked, unable to get any words out, and his vision blurred, the panic had ripped though him. It rendered him completely helpless.

It was not something that had ever happened to him before. As he ran it over, again and again, in his mind, it started to dawn on him what the scenario was missing. Arthur. Because Arthur did all the fighting, which gave Merlin the time to concentrate on what he needed to do, to protect Arthur, and without him, Merlin had ended up lost, and very much alone.

But he couldn't summon up any blame for Arthur. That was harder than everything else that had happened.

"Ah, Merlin, there you are," Arthur announced coming through the door and looking around.

"Where else am I going to be?" Merlin said, shaking a pillow to try and shift the goose feathers inside and get it back into shape, after having Arthur's big head squashing it all night.

"You came up here ages ago to clean," Arthur replied, looking around.

"I'm doing everything one handed, it takes a little longer."

"And yet, the results are oddly the same," Arthur drawled as he looked around. Merlin looked up and frowned, he shook the pillow again and then, seeing the prince's face, lobbed the pillow across the room, aiming for Arthur's fat head.

Quite naturally the missile was off target. Arthur calmly watched it sailing past his head to land on the floor beyond him. With a quizzical expression he looked back to Merlin.

"And we can spend a bit of time on your throwing as well. I want you in the training room in an hour."

"Because I'm up to training," Merlin asked, waving his good arm and indicating to his bound up left arm. Then glared at Arthur and pointed at the pillow on the floor.

"And I have a black eye."

"Yes, you do," Arthur agreed. "But it never affects my aim."

"You can throw around your ego," Merlin muttered.

"What?" Arthur asked, and then shook his head. "Anyway, I talked to Gaius, you need to start exercising your arm to bring it back to strength. I want you in the training room in an hour."

"And Gaius said yes to that?"

"Of course."

"Because you know what you are doing?"

Arthur sighed. "A lot of the knights have dislocated their shoulders before; they have to retrain to get the strength of their arm back. So have I. Gaius knows that, he decides when we can start doing that."

"And I can now? Gaius said so."

"He thinks so, but you have to go and see him first," Arthur added, going across the room to get his sword belt, and he rummaged around the weapons chest.

"That's probably because he's not happy unless he had probed some part of my body at least once in every four hour period," Merlin said. He went over to retrieve the pillow and as Arthur straightened up Merlin accidentally managed to bash Arthur on the head with it. Arthur snarled but said nothing; he just gathered what he thought he needed. Merlin dropped the pillow onto the bed, and tried to push it into shape with his free hand.

"And for heaven's sake, change your shirt, Merlin."

Merlin stopped batting the pillow and moved around the bed to glare at Arthur.

"This shirt is the only one I've got."

Arthur snorted.

"I did have another," Merlin continued. "But somebody ripped it!"

That somebody was quite obvious by the emphasis. Arthur blinked in shock and then leaving the items he was gathering went to his wardrobe. He opened it up and started to rummage, a moment later he came out with two pieces of clothing. Arthur looked at them and then satisfied with what he found took them over to Merlin, who met him at the end of the bed.

"I was planning to throw them out," Arthur snapped. "And you'll probably look ridiculous," he added, eyeing Merlin's slimmer shoulders. Merlin reached up to take the two shirts, flopping the material around a little.

"Thank you."

"Well…" Arthur started and then stopped. "They're a bit old, and frayed, now. I can't wear them any more."

As Merlin looked at the edging, it didn't look all that bad to him. However, as he looked up Arthur was already by the door, having gathered up what he needed. Opening it he turned back to Merlin.

"Training room, within the hour."

Arthur almost stepped over the threshold but Merlin, looking at the shirts, and suffering Arthur's insistence to train his arm sighed and said.

"I never knew you cared."

Arthur continued to pause, hearing the comment but he didn't put himself back into the room. Instead he remained frozen and let a moment pass before saying, distinctly.

"Neither did I."

**This was destined to be the last chapter in the story, but then in the last chapter I added the line about the inner wounds not healing as well as the physical ones. And then, the plot bunnies attacked! I'm hoping to keep each idea in a self contained chapter, as they hit. I have two so far….. **


	7. Epilogue 1

Gaius walked along, enjoying the bright sunshine and being outdoors, but he paused as he looked down the road. He frowned as he looked at the figure stood by the side of the road, just out of the town. It had been half an hour ago that Merlin had said he would go and gather the herbs Gaius needed to restock his supplies. Merlin had clearly not made it beyond the boundary of the woods. He was stood there, hesitating and looking as if he might start pacing up and down in frustration.

It occurred to Gaius again, as it had that morning, when Merlin agreed to the excursion, he had not been outside the citadel for just over a month. He hadn't been fit, as badly beaten as he was, and Gaius hadn't wanted him going too far, or doing too much. Arthur taking him training Gaius could trust. The moment Merlin felt he was pushed to hard, Arthur backed off. Gaius trusted Arthur with Merlin. After some recent events he could not deny the fact that Arthur cared about his servant.

One basic fact was still lost to the entire staff at the castle. Why. Many were wondering, but no one had thought to ask. It was an utterly confusing scenario. The pair didn't even seem to like each other. Arthur was endlessly complaining about Merlin's incompetence, and Merlin just seemed to be downright rude to Arthur.

Still, they seemed inseparable. Any hints given to Arthur that he should replace Merlin were met with a flat glare and if Merlin was asked about the scenario, he just smirked, shook his head and wandered off. It left everyone baffled, including Gaius on occasion and he knew more about the situation than most.

Gaius frowned as he watched Merlin still hesitating, clearly trying to get through a mental block he had not expected. The physician had rounds to do today, and an awful lot of catching up to do. Over the last month Merlin had taken up a lot of his time, but he got the feeling that he would have to put things aside again, to get Merlin past this next hurdle.

Before Gaius, with that decision made, could step forward, it became apparent he wasn't the only one that had noticed Merlin. There was the light hoof beats as a horse trotted round from the knights training area, Arthur on its back. He was keeping his horse at a very sedate pace. The prince was without his armour, looking as if he was just taking his horse out for exercise, which was a common thing to see. He was carrying his sword and his crossbow was looped over the front of his saddle. Merlin had often complained Arthur never seemed to want to return to Camelot without bringing at least one dead animal with him.

The scathing comment had made Gaius smirk a little, but he kept that to himself, not wanting to encourage Merlin further.

Now he watched as Arthur headed down the road, moving to one side as if he had just spotted Merlin stood there. Gaius watched as Merlin jumped when the prince came alongside him. He watched the pair speak for a brief moment and then Arthur reached down to remove something from Merlin's hand. Then after he said something else he reached down and gripping Merlin's good arm helped hoist him onto the back of the horse. Once Merlin was settled Arthur headed off into the woods.

Arthur had spotted Merlin as he had walked clear of the lower town and headed out on the road towards the forest. It wasn't an unusual thing to see, Merlin regularly went on foraging trips for Gaius. He often combined it with Arthur's hunting trips, which at least, Arthur pointed out, meant that Merlin was being of some use, to someone.

As that thought occurred to him, it did pass through Arthur's mind that Merlin hadn't been out recently. Not since he was attacked. It remained in his thoughts as he continued training. Then as he watched the knights working he felt an odd instinctive tingle, which made him turn his head, to see Merlin still stood there, hesitantly. Merlin almost stepped forward and then backed up again as if he hit some sort of barrier. Arthur frowned as he watched, then got distracted by the training again.

Minutes later he felt the same instinct bother him and looked to see that Merlin was still there, unmoving. Arthur could read the body language; Merlin was quivering with tension, trying to go forward, but somehow unable to do so. Arthur watched him for a moment, unaware that everyone else in the training ring had noticed Arthur, noticing Merlin. Frowning Arthur turned and went to Sir Leon, pausing on the way to collar a nearby servant giving the order to have his horse saddled.

"I think I'll just take my horse out for some exercise. It's a good day for it. Keep them on the sword work for a little while longer and then call it a day, and make sure the patrols sweep the western areas again," Arthur said. Leon nodded. Arthur started to unbuckle his armour, Leon helped him remove it.

"He hasn't been out over the last month has he?" Leon asked. Arthur looked up with a frown, for a moment he thought Sir Leon was referring to the horse, then with a slight meaningful look Arthur realised he meant Merlin.

"No," Arthur said. "No, he hasn't."

Merlin couldn't work out what the hell was wrong with him. He had felt a stirring of butterflies that morning when he had told Gaius he would go out, there was nothing wrong with that, he had done it before. But somehow, the butterflies had built up and now, even in the bright sunlight, the woods looked threatening.

There were no threats. Arthur had seen to that. But Merlin couldn't stop the trepidation in his mind. He hadn't been out here since it happened, Arthur hadn't taken him on any patrols or hunting trips and it occurred to Merlin now, that he had avoided going out with Gaius, when he had been out previously.

He knew it was stupid to keep standing there. If he couldn't do it, he could always get someone to help. Gaius probably would, and maybe even Gwen if she wasn't too busy. Merlin didn't want to contemplate Arthur, although Merlin decided it was his fault. If Arthur had decided to drag him out on a hunting trip this probably wouldn't be happening, because he would have been out there already, he wouldn't need to think about it, as much as he was now. Once he was over the threshold, he would be fine. It was just getting there.

So absorbed in thinking that he didn't see, or hear, Arthur's approach; all of a sudden the horse was next to him. Merlin jumped and looked up at Arthur.

"What are you doing?" Merlin asked him. Arthur looked out into the woods, before down again at Merlin.

"I thought I'd exercise the horse, what are you meant to be doing?"

"Getting some herbs for Gaius, he's run out of a few things."

"Like what?" Arthur asked.

Merlin didn't debate the fact that Arthur had asked, instead he reeled off the list of herbs that Gaius wanted. Arthur nodded. Prior to Merlin's attack the list would have been completely meaningless to the prince. Now, however, he had learnt a great deal of what Gaius actually did, having spent so much time demanding to know what he was doing to Merlin, over those two weeks.

"So, why are you stood here?" Arthur asked. Merlin glared up at him.

"I'm just thinking of the best way to go!"

Arthur looked at him, glancing down at Merlin's left hand. Soon into the training Arthur had given Merlin the soft leather ball which he could clench his hand on, to exercise his arm, preventing his fingers and lower arm from stiffening as his shoulder recovered. Merlin was doing that now, but it looked more like a nervous gesture rather than him actually consciously doing the training. Arthur reached down and removed the ball from Merlin's hand, making him frown.

"I think that's enough," Arthur said. Merlin looked a bit stricken without it. "Come on," Arthur said, bringing his foot out of the stirrup, so Merlin could use it to jump up. He reached down to grip Merlin's good arm, just over his elbow. It was an automatic reaction as he reached up to grip Arthur's shirt and let Arthur pull him up onto the horse. As soon as Arthur was happy that Merlin was settled behind him, he reacquired the stirrup and nudged the horse forward, heading off into the woods.

Merlin watched the scenery pass by. He hadn't really spoken to Arthur beyond giving him a vague idea of where they needed to look. Arthur kept the horse at a slow pace, not wanting to over exert the animal while it was carrying two of them. Not that Merlin added much to the animal's burden. He had been skinny before, but pulling him into the saddle now warned Arthur that Merlin had lost some weight, which he needed to gain back.

Arthur was rather glad he had brought his crossbow, if nothing else at least he could feed Merlin decently, although he was bound to get a complaint about bringing home yet more carcasses.

"Are you all right, Merlin?" Arthur eventually asked.

"Yes," came Merlin's calm reply and then he pointed to the right. "Over there."

Arthur turned the horse, let it trot up the slight incline and then he pulled up, spotting the plant that Merlin was looking for. Merlin slid off the horse and crouching down started to gather the leaves carefully. Arthur watched him for a minute and then looking around said.

"I'm just going to take the horse a bit further, I'll only be a few minutes."

Merlin's head jerked up, then he blinked and seemed to shake whatever it was off. "Okay," he said, keeping the mild trepidation out of his voice. Arthur looked at him for another second or two and then turning the gelding kicked it into a canter letting it run for a while. He didn't want to go too far, but he wanted to leave Merlin, just long enough.

Behind him, Merlin watched Arthur disappear into the forest then he went back to picking leaves. After a while he looked around again, and then he whispered a word under his breath. Moment's later a bright white spark appeared in front of his face, it expanded out into a small glowing ball, about four inches in diameter. Within it lay an image of Arthur trotting his horse through the woods.

The ball retracted again into the tiny spark with danced off to Merlin's left, threading through the trees. He frowned a little, Arthur had headed out to his right. Then the spark suddenly flared and burnt out. Merlin blinked and then a moment later Arthur rode back, appeared from the direction the spark had headed in, having circled round. Merlin raised his eyebrows as he looked at the dead pheasant Arthur was carrying.

"Did you see that?" Arthur asked.

"See what?" Merlin asked, moving to the comfrey plant he spotted a little distance away and picking a few leaves.

"That flash of light."

"It's a sunny day," Merlin said blithely, pleased that the spell seemed to work. Arthur looked up at the canopy of branches over their heads, then back to Merlin.

"Maybe they moved in the breeze," Merlin added. Arthur frowned, not actually able to fault that theory. It could have just been a flash of sunlight through the branches. As Merlin pointed out, it was a sunny day.

"I'm amazed the local wildlife doesn't up sticks and move out," he added, nodding at the dead bird, which Arthur, typically, handed to him to carry.

"Someone has to make sure you eat properly, before you disappear completely. You can take that one."

Merlin eyed the pheasant dubiously, "thanks, I think."

"Have you got everything?" Arthur asked. Merlin finished picking at the leaves and stood up.

"I need to go out towards the meadow. The hedgerow there has some rosehips."

"Fine, come on, then," Arthur turned the horse and holding out his arm helped Merlin up again, a little less co-ordinated this time, as he tried to hold the pheasant with his other hand.

"Arthur, do you think next time you could just give me flowers?"

"Merlin."

"Yes."

"Shut up."


	8. Epilogue 2

The meal was a strained affair. Arthur was beginning to wonder why his father had asked him to dine with him and Morgana. Morgana was wishing she had gone with her first thought of faking a headache. Then she had wondered what was going on between Uther and Arthur. It was certainly something to do with Merlin, and Arthur's continually irrational response when it came to him. So, she had dressed for dinner, in anticipation of fireworks. It was disappointing so far, still the background was intriguing.

Arthur's servant getting himself poisoned for his master was not such an unusual thing. Merlin doing it for Arthur had caused some talk, and Arthur running off on a quest to save Merlin was causing even more. And it was quite clear to everyone that Uther had thought the scenario a perfect chance to get rid of Merlin.

Morgana watched the silence, feeling bored and irritable. Arthur was just fiddling with his food, while Uther ate, his eyes set steadily on his son. She wondered if she could bring up her headache excuse. This time she didn't think Uther would accept it that easily. She was getting so desperate she was starting to think she would have to start talking herself, with a conversation so vacuous that both men would not be able to take it. At least then they might start saying what they really wanted to say.

Then Morgana smiled.

"How's Merlin?"

Arthur's head jerked up in surprise, he frowned as he looked at her. Uther's chewing slowed and he looked at Morgana with interest. Morgana kept her eyes on Arthur.

"After the poisoning, he's all right?"

"Fine," Arthur said.

"I saw him falling over your armour this morning. Are you sure he isn't still feeling a little weak?"

"He's fine, Morgana. I'm not going to let him over do it."

"From what you say, he doesn't do anything."

Arthur glared at her, angry retorts building up in him. She could always do this to him, especially if she stayed calm. Arthur knew full well she could manipulate him, and he fell for it every time.

"He does enough," Arthur snapped.

"For heaven's sake, Arthur!" Uther suddenly yelled. "He's just a servant!"

Arthur looked at his father, then at Morgana, then back to Uther again. Morgana watched calmly. Now she forgot her headache. This was getting interesting. They might even get to find out exactly what Merlin had, that nobody else did. Morgana didn't think it was just the beating that caused it, but none of the knights of Camelot would dare challenge Arthur over Merlin. Nobody could. No one could find out what was really going on.

She and Uther waited with great anticipation. Arthur was going to say something.

"Possibly," Arthur said.

Morgana sat back in her chair and rolled her eyes. The headache was actually starting to make itself a reality. Give it a minute or so, and she could really act her excuse out.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Uther exploded, unable to contain himself any more, the servants that were in the room all tensed. Morgana saw them, watching carefully. Uther was starting to shake with anger, and pent up tension. Arthur seemed to look increasingly relaxed, the more his father riled.

"Do you really want to know?" Arthur asked, posing the question seriously, his expression matching it. He was looking at his father with interest. Morgana wanted to shout 'yes!' at him. This was the closest anyone had got to the information they all wanted. Uther could quite easily, with an angry wrong word, make Arthur pull back again, and refuse to give details. Instead, Uther answered the only way that would make Arthur continue. He nodded and kept his mouth shut. Arthur blinked in shock, reached for another slice of meat and started to pull it into small strips with his fingers. He popped one into his mouth and then looked at his father, and then at Morgana. She tried not to look too eager.

"It's like everyone doesn't realise that I know what people say about me. Prince Arthur, the spoilt little bully. Who prances around in his armour, thinking he's big and brave, I think that is an accurate quote from you Morgana, isn't it?"

She could feel her face starting to flush. It was what she had said to Gwen once, loudly and with others hearing, at a joust, just once. People clapped Arthur, cheered for him. Because directly afterwards he had unhorsed his challenger. He was the prince of Camelot, they wanted him to win. When it was that scenario, Arthur was something to be proud of. It was just there were a good number of other times, he was an idiot.

"I think Merlin really honed it down, with the word 'pratt'. It seems to be remaining a favourite of his," Arthur mused.

"And you allow him to be insolent!" Uther said.

"Yes, I suppose I do," Arthur agreed, eating a little bit more.

Morgana noticed that Uther didn't know what the hell to say, neither did she to be honest.

"If one person shows you a lack of respect, then others will, the knights will," Uther said.

"No, they won't, they know full well I won't tolerate it from them, or anyone else."

"Just Merlin?" Morgana asked, trying to keep the conversation on track and Uther from exploding.

"Yeah, I remember when he first appeared, just being an idiot and insulting me."

"He didn't know who you were," Morgana said.

"That doesn't make my behaviour any better. It also obviously meant that not one other person around me would ever tell me anything other than what I wanted to hear. Even when he knew who I was it didn't stop him. I don't think he could hide anything from anyone. He's just too honest. Even if he is a useless servant."

"You can dismiss him," Uther said.

Arthur looked at him, frowning, looking almost incredulous at the suggestion.

"And how do I do that?" Arthur asked. "The King of Camelot gave him the position, for saving my life, if I remember correctly. You are the one that put him in that position, how do I remove him and countermand the King's order?"

"Because the King will allow you to do it!"

Arthur shook his head. "You said that for what he did he deserved something special. Not only that, he did it again. He saved my life by drinking that poison."

"But you had no right to go off risking your life for him."

"I had every right," Arthur said. "I risk my life every day, I patrol this kingdom, I fight for it, I compete in the tournaments representing it."

"That's different," Uther said. "That is what you were born to do."

"And protecting people isn't? What I do gives people confidence in me, isn't that what you said. I can't go anywhere without anything I do being assessed, and talked about. Why the hell do you think I behave like I do?"

"Like a pratt," Morgana said. Arthur glared at her, heaved out a heavy breath and rolled his eyes.

"Maybe, but I know people watch everything I do. It's not just you," Arthur said to Uther. "Everyone does, and if I can't protect my own idiotic, annoying manservant, then what hope do I have for protecting a kingdom."

"The people don't see it like that," Uther said.

"Yes, they do. A lot of people could not believe that Merlin challenged me like that the first time. I couldn't believe it, there was something about it, at the time, I couldn't work it out. Now, I think I can,"

"What?" Morgana said.

"He's so open, and honest; and yes he is the only person in the world that can insult me like that, anyone else will end up in the stocks."

"And you let him off!" Uther snapped.

"Yeah, because… I don't know. It's kind of nice."

"What is?" Morgana asked. Her headache was bowing out of this conversation. She looked at Arthur, so did Uther. Both wanting to know what Merlin did.

"It's a bit hard to explain, he's just something that is… I can only really put it into one word. It kind of explains everything."

"So what's that then?" Morgana asked.

Arthur sighed. There were, in fact, many words that could be used to describe his hopeless, innocent and usually baffled servant. Arthur could pick out hundreds, but one fitted. Only one word really worked, it said everything to him, and probably to so many others, it said nothing. But in the end, it just really summed everything up.

"He's just," Arthur sighed and said the word.

"He's just… Merlin!"


	9. Epilogue 3

**This is the last one of these epilogues I can think of, and cover the bits in the story that were, it appears, bugging me. I think anything else that comes to light, will just have to be its own story. **

**I'm glad everyone enjoyed the story ;-)**

Merlin jogged through the forest. He had fallen behind the rest of the group. It didn't worry him, he was past that mental block. This time he didn't want to be too far away from Arthur, just in case. Despite the fact it usually looked like he wasn't involved in the fight, he was. Usually watching Arthur's back so he didn't get anything stabbed into it. For someone who thought he was a good fighter, and did quite well when blindfolded on the training field, it was amazing how many people could often sneak up on him. Merlin needed to be there before they caught up with the bandits.

Just in case, Merlin thought to himself. He wasn't worried, not worried at all. He paused running to catch his breath, and peered through the trees. He didn't think he was far from the road, and as he stood still listening carefully he was sure he could hear the sound of hoof-beats, and Arthur's voice as commands were made.

Merlin started to run. He had gone to check the rabbit snares and traps that were in the forest. Many people lived by what they could grow, or trap. Arthur bought things back and anything that could not be used in the royal household was given out. Arthur was making sure Merlin got some of it. Merlin wasn't quite sure if he was grateful or not. Arthur's sudden, intensive care was confusing.

He brushed that aside as he ran, heading towards the road to catch Arthur. The wind suddenly gushed around him and Merlin skidded to halt, almost falling face down he stopped so abruptly and looked at the road.

A road that had been, a few seconds ago, a fair enough distance ahead of him. Merlin spun round and stared back into the forest, looking down he saw the disturbance in the leaves, where he had stopped. But there were nothing further back, in the soft mud, where his tracks should have been. He spun round again, hearing Arthur's voice. Merlin blinked.

Arthur was still a way down the road, talking in a low tone to the knight riding next to him, discussing the attack plan when they caught up with the bandits. It was impossible, Merlin was too far away to hear what Arthur was saying, and yet Arthur's calm voice was in his ear, as if he was only a step or so away from him.

Merlin spun round again, looking back into the forest, almost hoping that an answer had produced itself while he had his back to it. Nothing was forthcoming; it looked the same as it had a minute ago.

"How did I do that?" Merlin murmured to himself.

"Merlin!"

Arthur's voice made him jump and spin round. This time hearing the voice was perfectly normal, Arthur had yelled and was now trotting his horse up to where Merlin was stood, trying not to look baffled, and guilty. The rest of the troop nudged their horses forward, staying with Arthur, who halted in front of his confused looking servant.

"Merlin!" Arthur snapped again, since Merlin was staring off into space. Then he frowned. "Merlin?" his voice lowered, part warning and part demand. It seemed to snap Merlin out of his daze, he grinned and lifted up the rabbits.

"I got lunch."

Arthur didn't look very fooled. "Are you all right Merlin, any sign of anyone back that direction?"

Merlin looked, and then snapped back again. "No, no! I didn't see anyone."

"You got here quickly, I wouldn't have expected you to reach us just yet."

"I ran," Merlin said swiftly. Arthur frowned.

"You don't look out of breath."

"Maybe I'm getting fitter," Merlin said brightly, a couple of the knights in the troop suppressed laughter. Arthur sat back in the saddle again, gathering up the reins.

"Just get on your horse, Merlin."

Gaius looked up at Merlin stormed into the room. He strode past him and up the steps into his bedroom. There was a moment's crashing and then Merlin came back, with his magic book in his hand, flicking through pages, and muttering to himself as he did so.

"I must have seen it in here, somewhere… how else could I have done it?"

"Done what?" Gaius asked.

Merlin paused pacing and glanced at Gaius. He regarded him steadily for a moment before putting his head back down, and resuming flicking through the book also started pacing again. Gaius watched him for a moment, as he carried on muttering.

"Where is it? I don't remember seeing it…"

"Seeing what?" Gaius asked. Again he was stared at and then completely ignored as Merlin carried on again. Gaius tolerated it for another minute or so before moving in front of Merlin and grabbing the book from his hands.

"Hey!" Merlin yelled. Gaius hurled the book across the room. Unsurprisingly it stopped mid-flight and dropped onto the table, closing itself neatly. Gaius watched the golden flash fade from Merlin's eyes.

"What have you done?"

"I don't know!" Merlin shouted, side-stepped Gaius and sat down, opening the book again, flipping pages vigorously. Gaius went and sat down on the bench next to him.

"What do you know?"

Merlin stopped flipping and looking up looked at Gaius and then turned to stare off into space.

"I was with Arthur and the rest of them in the forest, I went to check the snares we'd set up the day before, and then I went to meet Arthur at the road."

"And?"

"And I was running through the forest, and then I was at the road," Merlin said, waving his arms in agitation.

"Yes?" Gaius asked, not getting the point. Merlin glared at him.

"I was in the forest!" Merlin said, slamming his left hand down on one side of the open book. "Then I was at the road!" Merlin slammed his right hand down on the other side. "Nothing in-between!" He waved his right hand, indicating between the two points. The pages started to turn themselves backwards and forwards in a frenzy as he gesticulated wildly. Gaius grabbed his wrist to make him stop it and the pages settled down again, rustling with what seemed like a sigh of relief.

"You mean you transported yourself?" Gaius asked.

"Yes, I think so, I guess so, I've never done that before, why would I do that? Is it even possible?"

"It must be," Gaius said. "Although, you are rather renowned for doing the impossible."

"I'm renowned for not being able to clean armour properly," Merlin snarled sarcastically. "Not for appearing and disappearing."

"I might be inclined to disagree with the disappearing bit," Gaius mused, earning another glare. "But those kinds of spells are possible, you saw the sorceress who went on to impersonate Lady Helen."

"She was incanting, and had a source of power, a focus, what do I have?"

"No need for that kind of thing, usually," Gaius said.

"And I could hear Arthur talking, even though he was too far away."

"He doesn't tend to lower his voice around you."

"Gaius! I'm serious, he was talking to… I can't even remember who it was, and he was still way down the road, but I could hear him like he was next to me."

"Could you hear what anyone else was saying? Arthur couldn't have been the only one talking."

"I don't know, he likes the sound of his own voice too much." Merlin frowned and shook his head. "No, no, I could just hear Arthur."

"Maybe there's some kind of bond, which you've made with Arthur."

Merlin's eyes widened, he leant back away from Gaius.

"No, no way, I do not have any kind of bond with Arthur. Not a chance!"

"But you were running to catch up with him, I think there is your power and focus."

"No," Merlin shook his head. "Really? Seriously? How did that happen? And why then wouldn't I be going the other way?"

Gaius smirked, he looked at Merlin carefully.

"You say you've never done this before, not consciously anyway?"

"Why, what are you thinking?" Merlin asked.

Gaius frowned. "You were in the forest when you did this, and then you wanted to reach Arthur."

"I guess."

"No one was ever really able to work out how you got to Arthur and the others, after those bandits attacked you. I know you said you didn't do any magic, but maybe you did."

"I don't remember doing, I don't remember getting away from them, I think they left me," Merlin said. "And then I…"

"And then you what?" Gaius asked gently; very aware of the change in Merlin's demeanour as he remembered the incident.

"Then I remembered thinking that I needed to get to Arthur."

"And you did," Gaius said.

"I did," Merlin mused, and then jumped a mile as the door crashed open and Arthur stormed in.

"There you are, come on, work to do!" Arthur said grabbing the shoulder of Merlin's shirt and pulling him up. Gaius smirked and Merlin glowered at him as he was dragged to the door.

"No time for sitting down," Arthur added happily. Merlin glared at Gaius as the physician started to shake with laughter, and started to mutter mutinously under his breath.

"Merlin, shut up," Arthur said.

"What are we doing anyway?"

"Training, we need to keep your new fitness level up!" Arthur said brightly, causing Merlin to groan and he decided.

He had the appearing part of the trick worked out, now all he needed to do was get the disappearing part right.


End file.
